Followers

Many who attended IDEX this past weekend posted their reviews and more photos today.I love what Tom Courtney posted on Prego. Here it is, in its entirety, with his permission.

You, know...I've been doing this a long time...some of the faces change...but the dolls never fail to delight, amuse and inspire... To those I did get the pleasure of seeing...so wonderful for me...to those I did not...I am very, very sorry I missed you...lots of things to accomplish on this visit...and it was all wonderful. Tonner's line is as rich and full as always...no disappointments there...I felt like I did back before I worked there...I'm a collector again...making more of those critical decisions about what I hope to acquire in the next year. Getting everything is no longer an option...so now it's more up to scrutiny...and love. Alice in Wonderland will get my dolly cash...as will Harry Potter in both sizes. I LOVE that Robert is offering both sizes to explore two different worlds of Harry. And I am very much looking forward to more articulation in 22" dolls...and the NEW TYLER!!! As the original #1 Tonner Cheerleader...I can say I am most thrilled listening to his plans for his beloved Tyler. Robert nevers fails to take the doll introductions from IDEX...and keep them fresh and surprising through Toyfair, truly making it a season of wonders! Cheryl Crawford...LOVE. It is THE return of the artist's doll...and not a mere BJD. Add the level of clothing detail and serene faces...I must get one of these...problem is choosing. Congrats, Cheryl! J'adore. Joan Greene's Cordelia...fun concept...beautifully conceived collection. Would loved to have seen a factory doll...but I understand how that goes...and I know Joan has the eye for detail. Watching this collection closely...especially the Vault. Helen Skinner...the face painting was so gorgeously rendered - it was beautiful magic to behold. Sandra - thank you for everything...it means the world to me. Integrity...plain and simple, they rock. It was all beautiful...but David, that red gown in tiers of bias...was a triumph in miniature couture. Horsman deserves a second and third look...Kurt, you really 'get' it...and I look forward to seeing more from your imagination. Wilde...Joe: Evangeline's wardrobe is so over-the-top in the best of stylish ways...and dare I say it, it garnished [sic] quite the buzz around the room. So very hauntingly beautiful, indeed. Ellowyne: you may be bored...but we certainly aren't...keep up your therapy, it'll all work out. So much more to say...so many other things to observe...but have otherwise been beautifully reported by others. I loved reading all the comments and observations! Tom

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This Tonner info was culled from several people's posts:

-New action figures coming: Electra, Frost (?), Captain America, Wolverine, Rogue.-Next Halloween convention will be in Vermont. (?)-May convention is selling out quickly.-Tyler 2.0 line is not done.-Other sculpts will be on Antoinette body.-There will be more sculpts for the 13 in Revlon body.-There are going to be ten Theatre de la Mode fashions for the Antoinette and Tyler body.-A new "Mood" Tyler, Esme and Sydney will be a build your own doll with inset eyes, 15-20 wigs to choose from, 3 chest plate sizes, removable hands and feet and various hand styles.-A new American Model in a Goth style will come as a basic doll with inset eyes and better articulation. -There will be a new Johnny Depp Pirate figure. There will also be a Penelope Cruz doll.-Twilight series will get two Volturi figures. -More Harry Potter large sized figures.

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Angelic Dreamz showed two new resin males. See them at the AD website soon.

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Here is a scan by James of Joan Greene's story cards for her new line. Click on the image to see its original size.

This month has been filled with hard-to-avoid sales and I avoided very few of them.

Here are some of the latest additions to my collection, all from Wilde Imagination.

Ellowyne's Cat, Sybil, will make an appearance from time to time. I love putting creatures in my doll photos. This one is a riot with her crazy face and motley fur. I just noticed that she arrived with part of her lower jaw missing. Apparently she has bitten off more than she could chew. Bad kitty.

My newest Ellowyne is called Empty Thrill. I love her outfit!

A few weeks ago I purchased a nude, bald "Essential Ellowyne, Too Wigged-Out - Debut." She was just hanging out on the day Princess Diana's "Travolta" gown arrived so she was dressed in it. One snap located at the widest part of her hips had to be left undone, otherwise the fit is excellent. She is wearing her "bored" wig with the pieces of hanging hair wound around the buns. I think she looks great.

Everlasting Evangeline who came with two wigs got a quick shot in her basic outfit. I added the Joe Tai jewelry.

Below, Everlasting is dressed in a new fashion called "Grey As The Moors." One of the things I love about her fashions is that there is no skimping on volume. The cape is amazingly beautiful and the hood is very large.

Here is "A Tangled Web" dressed in "A Windy Evening" coat and the "Eternal Tulle Skirt Set." The skirt comes with hosiery that has differently patterned legs. It's a little Alice in Wonderland-ish but very pretty.

Finally we have Waiting For Mortimer wearing the most amazing fashion yet, "Widow's Walk."It starts with a lovely, all black dress that laces up the front and has a full, sweeping, drapey skirt. The coat is made from a gorgeous woven brocade fabric with puff sleeves and sweeping, long black drapey things. This fabric spreads out quite far, if desired, or can be puddled at the hem. Right now the outfit is on sale as it's almost sold out. I paired it with the shoes called "Plum Paces."

Here are pictures from the Wilde website to show you what the dress underneath looks like and the shoes which I added.

The new Evangelines are stunning. But it's time for me to really enjoy what I already have and get some of that Play Power turned on.

The FR2 being revealed at IDEX are now available for pre-order although I've heard that some dealers are already sold out.

The dressed dolls will retail at $175. each. The outfits will be $100. each.

Modern SensibilityDasha™ Dressed Doll

Modern SensibilityDasha™ Dressed Doll

EngagingElise Jolie Dressed Doll

FlawlessElise Jolie Dressed Doll

FlawlessElise Jolie Dressed Doll (accessories)

Impossibly BeautifulDominique Makeda Dressed Doll

Rare AppealDominique Makeda Dressed Doll

RenegadeDasha™ Dressed Doll

Renegade, above, will be offered by lottery through the W Club. It is an IT Direct Exclusive.

MetropolitanFR2™ Fashion

Sheer BlissFR2™ Fashion

Only NaturalFR2™ Fashion

Nice. Really nice. I've got my pre-order confirmed for several of the dressed dolls and one of the fashions. I would have liked to order all the fashions but I had to pick just the one I liked the best and that was "Only Natural." I loved it the minute I saw it at the convention. I don't remember Sheer Bliss but I can go look it up. I'd get that outfit just for the shoes.It was hard to decide if I wanted "Engaging." But I like the doll a lot. I'm not sure about the dress - although it might look better on another doll along with that hat. The shoes remind me of the 16" Virtually (ugly) Alex doll's shoes. The redhead Dasha and the blonde Elise will be moving in here as well. Sigh. I love that blonde Elise. I love that sculpt.The Dasha beauty in the red dress has a place reserved for her too. But I have to win the chance to buy her so you all should go buy something else - Veronique or Vampires...

Mattel sent out email to all members of Barbie Fan Club showing two sneaks of actual dolls and a drawing of another. The fourth is still a secret.Redhead Silkstones are winners in my opinion. This one is BFMC Ekaterina. She is the first club exclusive and will be available in February with free shipping.

This is a screen shot of part of the email. The Platinum Label doll is the blonde in the white dress. She is called Pinch of Platinum and has the endlessly skinny, hands-on-hips model muse pose, a boring vapid smile and an un-articulated body and collectors will buy every last one the minute she goes on sale. The sketch of the witchy-styled doll is called "Fall Holiday Hostess." The outfit is cute - nothing new but cute. "The opportunity to purchase Ekaterina™ Barbie® begins 2/9/11 at 11:00am CT for $99.95, for 2011 BFC™ members only, in the online shop. No more than 3,000 of these dolls will be available for sale. Doll purchases are optional and available only to members of the 2011 Barbie Fan Club."

W Club members were just sent this photo by David Buttry of the Integrity booth at IDEX. I hope we get some better pics later.For Integrity to make an appearance at IDEX is a good public relations move.

Most of my readers know by now that the re-designing of Veronique is something I was opposed to. I believe she should have been discontinued if anything at all. She is unique and was one of the two characters that launched the Fashion Royalty line. How can she be improved upon? She can't.She can only become a new character. But the decision was made two years ago and the new Veronique has finally been introduced as Modern Comeback Noir and Blonde. Each edition is 500 dolls and retails for $90. directly from IT. The opportunity to purchase the dolls has been offered as a lottery to W Club members only.

My personal reaction to these dolls is underwhelming. I was hoping for something I could love - something that attempted to be better than I expected - but what I got was ho-hum. Just another nice face and nice lingerie. Nothing new. This is not a comeback it is a drawback. This doll should have been offered to all who wanted to buy her, not as a lottery. There are going to be lots of disappointed W Club members.

Integrity Toys is continuing the vampire collection but this time the line is not affiliated with Ashton-Drake. It's called Dracula and His Brides: The Eternal Love Collection. Each doll is a LE500 and is priced at $125. Contact your favorite doll dealer to preorder.

The Count

The Contessa

Lucy

Mina

The photography is excellent for this series.They fashions are very cute. I really like the Count. It's too bad that there isn't the option for NO FANGS.

The red chairs are the same chairs we received at the convention in black, honoring the Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter series of books. These do not have the DH logo, of course. They are available in unlimited quantities to members of the W Club through the IT store.

My friend Osvaldo Vasquez, aka OVAZ, is showing and selling his new designs for the Sybarite body. Here are pictures of his work and a link to his auctions on eBay. Some items may already have been sold.http://shop.ebay.com/ovaz2010/m.html

To my readers who have written wondering where I disappeared to...thank you for your concern. January is a pretty quiet month in doll world as manufacturers are preparing to unveil their new goodies at IDEX and Toy Fair. I was on vacation this past week. There's nothing like coming back home to a pile of doll boxes on the dining room table. That was fun!

Diane Evans is a gorgeous new doll in an adorable polka dot bathing suit. She has Friday Foster's head sculpt, brown eyes and raven hair. Her skintone is called Honey. She will be available late February at Tonner Direct in a limited edition of 500 for $109.99. Pricey for a basic doll, isn't it? Some are already available for purchase; others are to reserve.

The Alice in Wonderland line continues to grow with the addition of Alice in depicted in wonderful costumes from various scenes of the movie. Here is the text from the Tonner Direct site:

"The apprehensive Alice masquerades herself as UM FROM UMBRIDGE, to protect herself from the malicious Red Queen.This meticulously detailed costume consists of an extravagant dress with layered tiers of tulle and custom printed chiffon overlay.Her arm is bandaged with a matching ribbon trimmed wrap, while her slender waist is wrapped in a tasseled belt.Pantyhose and shoes also included.